Opposite dugout: Resilient Yankees look much different than when they last faced O's

yankees-logo.jpgManager: Joe Girardi (9th season)

Record: 65-61

Last 10 games: 5-5

Who to watch: SS Didi Gregorius (.283 with 17 HR, 57 RBIs), 2B Starlin Castro (17 HR, 57 RBIs), C Gary Sanchez (.389 with 9 HR, 16 RBIs), RHP Luis Cessa (3-0, 4.01 ERA), RHP Dellin Betances (6 saves, 27 holds, 2.23 ERA)

Season series vs. Orioles: 5-6

Pitching probables:

Aug. 26: RHP Yovani Gallardo vs. RHP Luis Cessa, 7:05 p.m., MASN
Aug. 27: RHP Dylan Bundy vs. RHP Chad Green, 1:05 p.m., MASN
Aug. 28: RHP Kevin Gausman vs. RHP Michael Pineda, 1:05 p.m., MASN

Inside the Yankees:

You know that old baseball stadium cry, "Can't tell the players without a scorecard!"? Well, it certainly applies to this meeting between the Yankees and Orioles, the first since the Bronx Bombers began moving toward a younger roster built to compete for the long term. DH Alex Rodriguez has retired and taken a nebulous front office job. First baseman Mark Teixeira is off the disabled list, but has announced he'll retire after this season. Closer Aroldis Chapman was dealt to the Cubs, bullpen standout Andrew Miller was shipped to the Indians and right fielder Carlos Beltran was peddled off to the Rangers. The Yankees look markedly different thanks to some shrewd wheeling and dealing, and though they've got only a remote chance at a wild card berth, they aren't playing like the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders, even if they more closely resemble that Triple-A squad than the team that began the season with high hopes in the American League East.

Who's left? Shortstop Didi Gregorius is hitting .283 with 17 homers and 57 RBIs, and his double play partner, second sacker Starlin Castro, has chipped in 17 homers and 57 RBIs. When they're healthy, left fielder Brett Gardner (.347 on-base percentage) and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (.262, 18 stolen bases) are still capable of being effective table setters. The Yankees are a little light on power right now, but they've gotten some nice contributions from catcher Gary Sanchez, one of their post-trade deadline callups, who has homered nine times in 19 games and slashed .389/.450/.847. Teixiera has homered 10 times and can still run into a fastball, as can catcher Brian McCann, whose playing time has diminished despite 16 homers, but this is a far different lineup than the last time the teams met shortly after the All-Star break.

Rookie right-hander Luis Cessa is coming off his first major league start, a six-inning stint against the Angels in which he allowed three singles and a walk, and puts a 3-0 record on the line in Friday night's opener. Though he's ridden the shuttle between New York and Triple-A this season, Cesa posted a 6-3 record with a 3.03 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He's never faced the Orioles. Righty Chad Green, another rookie, gets the call in Saturday's afternoon game, and has gone 1-1 in his last two starts, though he's allowed but one run and seven hits over 12 innings. He pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless two-hit relief versus the Orioles on July 21, his lone career appearance against them. Sunday starter Michael Pineda is a veteran who has lifetime 4-2 record and 3.68 ERA in 10 starts against Baltimore. He's had trouble going deep into games this year - he's pitched more than six innings only twice in 25 starts - and has yielded 22 homers in 141 2/3 innings, one more than he allowed in 160 2/3 innings in 2015.

Earlier this season, the late-inning triumvirate of Dellin Betances, Miller and Chapman was practically unhittable. Now, only Betances remains of the trio. He's the de facto closer, Betances has six saves in nine tries, a 2.23 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He's fanned 108 in 60 2/3 innings.




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